Harmonic drive apparatus are generally cylindrical speed reduction transmissions that can drastically reduce the speed of an input shaft transmitted to an output shaft with little or no backlash. Harmonic drive apparatus can be contained in small housings and are used extensively in applications where size and backlash are critical, such as in robotics. Harmonic drive apparatus were first introduced around 1957.
The typical construction of a harmonic drive apparatus comprises a cylindrical flexible spline inside a cylindrical fixed spline. A plurality of flexible, parallel gear teeth are provided on a cylindrical exterior surface of the flexible spline. A further plurality of parallel, rigid gear teeth are provided on a cylindrical interior surface of the fixed spline. The fixed spline gear teeth project inwardly toward the flexible spline gear teeth. The number of fixed spline gear teeth is larger than the number of flexible spline gear teeth.
An output shaft of the harmonic drive apparatus is connected to the flexible spline.
An input shaft of the harmonic drive apparatus is connected to a wave generator having an elliptical exterior surface. The wave generator elliptical exterior surface is positioned inside the flexible spline. The elliptical surface is positioned in a same plane as the flexible spline gear teeth and the fixed spline gear teeth. The elliptical surface engages an interior surface of the flexible spline at two 180 degrees spaced locations on the elliptical surface and pushes the flexible spline teeth into engagement with the fixed spline teeth. On rotation of the input shaft and rotation of the elliptical surface, the gear teeth on the flexible spline 180 degrees apart are pushed into engagement with the gear teeth of the fixed spline and the engagement between the gear teeth causes rotation of the flexible spline and the output shaft.
Even though harmonic drive apparatus are typically smaller than other gear reduction transmissions, there may be situations where even more compact, thinner packaging would be desirable. Thus, there is a need for an alternative packaging envelope of a harmonic drive apparatus where thinness or compactness is desirable.